UK Green Party leader confirmed to contest Starmer’s former seat

Zack Polanski, leader of Britain's Green Party, has been officially appointed as the party's candidate for the upcoming parliamentary by-election in the Holborn and St Pancras constituency. The seat was previously held by Keir Starmer, a former Labour prime minister, in the 2024 general election with a significantly lower vote share than in the previous year.

The Green Party acknowledges they are the underdogs in this election, but Polanski insists they possess momentum and have the potential to secure a victory. The Greens managed to garner over 10% of the votes in the 2024 election, whereas an independent candidate advocating against Israel's war in Gaza captured nearly 19% of the votes in the same constituency during the previous election. However, that independent candidate has now decided not to run again in the upcoming by-election.

Polanski addressed his fellow Green Party supporters on Friday, stating that while they may be the underdogs, they have gained significant momentum and can still win the election. Just a few days prior, the Labour Party announced the selection of Sagal Abdi-Wali, the leader of the local council, as their candidate for the by-election.